Joseph ‘Rev Run’ Simmons

A founding member of ground-breaking hip-hop trio Run-D.M.C., rapper, reality TV staple and Pentecostal minister Joseph 'Rev Run' Simmons also enjoyed solo success as the star of "Run''s House" (MTV, 2005-09) and "All About the Washingtons" (Netflix, 2018-). Born in Queens, NY in 1964 to a truant officer father and teacher mother, Simmons began his music career DJing for pioneering MC Kurtis Blow in his mid-teens where he earned his Run nickname. Simmons then stepped up to the mic when he teamed up with high school friends Darryl McDaniels (DMC) and Jason Mizell (Jam Master Jay) to form Run-D.M.C.

Managed by Simmons' brother, and Def Jam founder, Russell, the trio helped to revolutionize the hip-hop scene in the mid-1980s with their harder-edged sound, love of Adidas sportswear and collaborations with producer Rick Rubin and rock royalty Aerosmith. They were also the first hip-hop act to reach gold, platinum and multi-platinum status, pick up a Grammy nomination, become an MTV regular and grace the cover of Rolling Stone, and were the genre's only representative at Live Aid.

After 21 years and seven albums, Run-D.M.C. came to a tragic end in 2002 when Mizell was fatally shot at his recording studio in Jamaica, Queens. Simmons retreated from the spotlight for several years, working at Russell's apparel company, Phat Farm, and becoming ordained as a Pentecostal minister. He returned under the new guise of Rev Run in 2005, scoring a UK top five hit with Liberty X collaboration "Song for Lovers" and releasing his first solo LP, Distortion. But it was his first major small screen venture that same year which truly kickstarted the second phase of Simmons' career. "Run's House" (MTV, 2005-09) saw the star invite the cameras to document his home life with wife Justine and his six children, including the tragic moment when daughter Victoria died just two hours after being born.

Following the show's end, Simmons turned his hand to hosting numerous factual series including "Rev Run's Renovation" (DIY Network, 2014-15), "Rev Run's Sunday Suppers" (Cooking Network, 2014-16) and "Rev Runs Around the World" (Travel Channel, 2015-16), joined Tyrese Gibson as the co-anchor of talk show "It's Not You, It's Men" (OWN, 2016) and enjoyed sporadic Run-D.M.C. reunion performances with McDaniels at various festivals.

Having briefly appeared in hip-hop comedy "Who's the Man" (1993) and horror prequel "Red Dragon" (2002), Simmons landed his first major acting role when he starred alongside wife Justine as retired MC Joey Washington in family comedy "All About the Washingtons" (Netflix, 2018-).